Ore washer or concentrator



(No Model.)

0. F. PIKE.

ORE WASHER OR GONGENTRATOR.

Patented Nov. 13, 1894.

'IINVENTOR WITNESSES 'fl, 7W

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. PIKE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ORE WASHER OR CONCENTRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 528,978, dated November13, 1894.

Application filed June 10,1893. Renewed April 1'7, 1894. Serial No.507,943- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. PIKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in OreWashers or Concentrators; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention has relation to ore washers and concentrators having a bodyof mercury in a receiving vessel which has distantly located feed anddischarge appliances, and it has for its object the provision ofmechanically actuated agitating devices for the deposited ore or ganguein the receiving vessel to effect a rapid and thorough separation of themetal from the ore.

My invention accordingly consists of the combinations, constructions andarrangements of parts as hereinafter morefully described in thespecification and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is asectional elevation'of an ore washer and concentrator embodying myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same partly sectional, and Fig. 3is a sectional elevation of lower end of feed tube and a sweep or bladeof the rotating agitating devices.

A represents a washer or concentrator, composed of an annular receivingvessel a in the center hub a of which is mounted a shaft b having a beltor other power transmitting device I) for rotating it.

(1 cl represent a number of radially arranged blades or sweeps withinthe vessel on for conveying the ore or gangue from a feed device to asuction discharge device in vessel 1., to be hereinafter described. Saidsweeps are shown in the drawings attached near to the lower end of shaftb and are located contiguous or adjacent to the top or surface of themercury a; to form a device for sweeping over the mercury to agitate,move and comminute any ore or gangue deposited or fed upon the surfaceof said mercury.

0 represents a feed-tube having at its lower end a jointed arrestingplate 0 pointing in.

the direction of rotation I of the blades or sweeps (1 so that thelatter will raise and pass under said plate 0 as they rotate. See moreplainly Fig. 3. The plate 0 deposits the ore or gaugue upon the surfaceof the mercury without force or velocity or in a comparative state ofrest so as to admit of remaining on the mercury surface for action bythe agitating, moving and dividing devices d.

E represents a suction discharge tube to the rear of the feed tube 0 soas to be distantly located from one another relatively to the functionsthey perform.

The foregoing provides a simple, economical and effective washer andconcentrator and its novel features may be varied in con struction andarrangement without departing from the spirit of my invention. Thus, forinstance, the vessel A may be provided with any suitable jarringdevices, as described and shown in another pending application filed byme of even date herewith, Serial No. 477,170.

What I claim is i 1. In an ore washer and separator, the combination ofavessel containing a continuous layer of mercury, a feed device, asuction discharge device distantly located apart, and radially arrangedsweeps acting to move the gangue or ore fed into said vessel from thefeeding to the discharging device, substantially as set forth. 1

2. In an ore washer or concentrator, the combination of a vesselcontaining mercury, a feed device and'a suction discharge distantlylocated apart, and rotating sweeps for moving the ore or gangue from thefeed to the discharge, and means for actuating said sweeps,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of a washer or concentrator A, the rotating sweepersor blades 01, a feed device having a jointed arresting blade pointing inthe direction of rotation of the sweepers, and a suction dischargedevice to the rear of said feed device, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature'in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. PIKE.

